Religious Teachings

In 1980, Madrasah classes for about 75 Muslim children were started in a Thorncliffe Public School five evenings a week by concerned parents living in Thorncliffe Park Drive. The madrasah provided the students with a place where they can seek Islamic knowledge in a classroom setting and helped them build friendship and relationship with other Muslim students. There were number of challenges facing the madrasah during the initial years, such as short of space and closing of madrasah during the long summer holidays.

In the mean time, Thorncliffe Park Drive Muslims, who did not have designated prayer facilities in the area rented a small unit at 2 Thorncliffe Park Drive in the early 1990’s. Eventually, due to the lack of space , 4 Thornclffe Park Drive was bought in the mid 1990’ s and opened a few years later with extensive renovations. Thorncliffe Park Madrasah was eventally moved to 4 Thorncliffe Park Drive and has since grown to over 390 students and 18 staff by the year 2007.

Madrasah Faizul Quaran has provided an excellent service to the community with changing needs. We have recently standardized the course to a well established English based south African course. Students from this Madresah have gone to higher Institution to become Hafiz, Alims and Alimas in the last 20 years.
Madrasah is an Arabic word meaning school, or place of learning. It is a tradition that started very early on in Islam because of the special emphasis placed on acquiring knowledge. Our current madrasah has evolved from the fine tradition that our forefathers started in our countries of origin and continued later on with our migration to the West. Currently, most madaris in the West operate in the evening or weekends.

While Islamic education should and, in most cases, does begin at home, it is formally and systematically conducted through the Madrasah. Thus, the Madrasah plays a major role in developing the Islamic identity of our children. The prevailing and dominant cultures and values of our former country of domicile, be it in the Indian sub-continent, Africa or the Middle East, in most cases reinforced our Muslim identity. The challenge in the West is a more daunting one in that the culture and values are not only at variance with our own, but also often promote enticing counter-culture values.

Apart from having a comprehensive and relevant curriculum, good and caring teachers, engaging teaching methods, appropriate texts and notes; the fundamental factor in ensuring the success of any Madrasah is the Parent-Student-Teacher Partnership.

Each party to this contract operates under some constraints. The parents may be too busy with their daily routines and/or less than fully equipped to bear the full responsibility of Islamically molding their children on their own. The teachers have only limited time in the madrasah, frequently no more than two to four hours a day for less than a full year, to impart Islamic education by themselves. Yet the students have the arduous task of reconciling different sets of values and behaviors they observe in the schools, homes, Islamic Centers or madaris. Thus, it behooves all the parties to work together, cooperatively, so that each helps to alleviate the constraints of the others.

The success of the Madrasah in enhancing Islamic knowledge and identity of its students is highly dependent upon conveying our collective expectations (that is, of the parents and teachers) to the students with clarity and consistency, and in reinforcing behaviors through modeling both at home and at the Madrasah.
The community members, who volunteer at our Madrasah as administrators, teachers, support staff, etc. and the parents who provide support and reinforcement, all truly deserve our collective gratitude. They give up their precious time to invest in our children’s Islamic education. We salute their dedication and contributions and pray that may Allah (swt) reward them amply for their services here and in the hereafter.

Objectives

To enable them to master the reading of the holy Quran and provide basic Islamic knowledge in fiqah, seerah and to enable them to become a good practicing Muslim.

To provide our children with an atmosphere as close to the Islamic ideal as possible, in which they can grow and learn as whole individuals, intellectually, spiritually and physically.

To instill in them a pride in their heritage by enabling them to approach knowledge from a Muslim point of view.

To offer the ultimate in academic excellence so that our children are prepared to take an active and dominant role in the world in which they live

To foster lasting fraternal bonds with their Muslim classmates.

To strengthen them to meet and to deal effectively with the challenges of living in the modern Canadian society.

Philosophy

Madrasah Faizul Quran’s policies are guided by the Holy Qur’an and the Sunnah of the Prophet Mohammad (may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him);

An effective education is achieved through a partnership of student, family and the Madrasah;

Our teachers use and direct the God-given desire of children to learn.

Our conviction that each child is unique and individual in learning style and level of achievement is endorsed by this environment;

It is essentials to develop and maintain a positive Islamic identity through a knowledge of and appreciation of our Islamic heritage and values.

Islam is an integral part of our daily lives and therefore pervades the atmosphere of the madrasah.

Our curriculum and philosophy are child-centered.

Our primary function is to provide the environment and encouragement that allow children to become God-conscious, self-directed learners and thinkers.

The children are helped to express Islamic attitudes and behaviour proudly and openly

Aware that each child has something to offer, cooperative learning is emphasized.

In fostering an understanding of and respect for racial and school of thoughts differences within our society.

In helping students to gain a sense of respect for themselves, for others and for their environment.

The madrasah is very visible in our local neighbourhood.

In the teaching and appreciation of our Canadian culture and heritage and in promoting participation in Canadian life.

The constant influx of Muslim families into Thorncliffe and Flemingdon Park area continues and increases the diversity of our community. The Islamic Society of Toronto is committed to provide quality services to members of our community. The community’s contribution is essential in this time of tremendous growth and progress. Come and join the effort as we all grow together.